DIY Craft Beer Advent Calendar

Today’s post is all about creating a DIY craft beer advent calendar (i.e lots of beer with a perfectly good excuse not to miss a day consuming one) and the many options available these days about beer advent calendars in general.

Just like with pretty much anything else in the world, the anticipation (of Christmas) tends to beat the actual experience (Christmas Day). Speaking of emotional intensity here and recognizing the fact that through devout mediation you could have become independent of attachment thoughts related to future pleasurable events. (Chris and I are not there yet, still slaves to human desires).

This post contains affiliate links.While many people hold the view that using booze in an advent calendar is shocking or in poor taste, I will defend the craft beer choice by pointing out that beer has been an inseparable part of the Christian tradition and the life of monks for centuries. Think about Doppelbock for example, the beer style invented by German monks as a nutrient rich drink to help them stay alive through the days of lent. Or think about the Belgian Trappist monasteries and the amazing libations that emerge from them.

I mean, beer is synonymous with the Christian clergy, whether you like it or not. Furthermore beer saved lives century after century when water was not fit to drink. We are all here today because someone way back in our family tree repeatedly made the wise choice to drink ale versus contaminated water. Chris and I are convinced that not only is there nothing wrong with counting the days to Christmas with craft beer but it is a glorious idea, true to history, Christian tradition and making merry. We are grateful for the gift of craft beer. Around the holidays and always.

Alright then, let’s get started.

Why a DIY Craft Beer Advent Calendar

The short answer is three-fold – cost, timing and brews selection. An advent calendar at a local craft beer store carrying all sorts of beers from all over the world rings in at $110 plus tax this year. Must be pre-ordered and prepaid by mid November. I say “Ouch”. Plus – they choose the brews. You really do get surprised:)

While Chris and I totally love to part take in the craft beer advent calendar tradition ourselves (in addition to enjoying the sight of our kiddo open numbered chocolates and Lego pieces every morning) if we spent almost $250 on our calendars and another $50 for kiddo’s it begins to add up mercilessly. That is even before the biggest financial setback of the year aka the Christmas holidays gift buying frenzy has had a chance to hit us.

So we turn to the DIY craft beer calendar option which allows us to have two calendars for about $100 total, on time for December 1st. And we have a say on exactly what the beer choices are for each of us, while still maintaining an element of surprise since we’d wrap each others’ and not know what beer is destined for what day.

In the past few years we used the same two (decorated) partitioned Kraft cardboard boxes from purchasing empty 12 oz beer bottles for home brews, but those got quite worn out so this year I bought a few items to make new beer bottles ‘holders’. Hence this post actually.

This is what I used to make two very similar, yet slightly different in appearance craft beer advent calendars (I refrained from labeling them with our names, lol).

48 beers, all 12 oz bottles purchased as mixed packs with some duplicates (we both like the same ones, imagine that:)

I spent about $109 with tax, so less than $55 each (per craft beer advent calendar). OK, in reality, I did buy more than two bottles of some of the beer styles because we plan on using them in upcoming recipes (these days we are trying to plan ahead, imagine that:), but I am not allocating the cost of those to the calendars. So the math is good.

(The polka dots basket one is mine, the four 6-pack configuration is Chris’.)

How to Make a DIY Craft Beer Advent Calendar

The next step (aka assembly) is super easy.

You open a beer that is not to be included in the advent calendar.

You wrap each beer bottle from the 24 you selected for the calendar in tissue paper as you happily sip on your beer. You secure the cinched section around the bottle neck with clear tape.

You write the numbers from 1 to 24 on the hang tags and then patiently tie one onto each wrapped beer bottle with your twine string.

You arrange the wrapped bottles in the decorated basket or the 6-pack beer holders (for these you want to wrap a ribbon or a different decoration around the periphery of all of them stacked together and secure them to each other with clear tape).

You open a second beer and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Think of all the happy times ahead as you count down the days to Christmas Day with a beer surprise each night.

(Tip: if using 6-pack beer holders, do place them onto a board of some sort before you fill them with bottles and decorate their periphery. Twenty-four beer bottles are quite heavy to lift as is it, you do not want the taped 6-pack holders to come undone etc, will not be a pretty sight).

Where to Buy a Beer Advent Calendar

In case you do want to drop the cash for a pre-made calendar (I am familiar with the powerful pull love can exercise upon one who is enchanted by a craft beer lover) check with your local craft beer cellar/store first and if you are not successful securing one, then look online. Do it well in advance. In October or early November.

My personal experience purchasing the beer advent calendar online a few years back convinced me to abstain from repeating it. Who wants to start counting down after day eight? Or start complaining and feeling sorry for themselves that their order arrived late in the advent of Christmas and ruin their mood? Better to avoid such prospects. Maybe things have improved since, I hope so.

Partially DIY Craft Beer Advent Calendar

There is also a middle of the road solution – you order the gorgeous pre-made ‘shell’ for the craft beer advent calendar and buy the beer at a local liquor store with a good selection. Most stores will allow you to purchase mixed 6-packs, meaning you get to select 24 completely different beers for a minimal surcharge over the base retail 6-pack price. Good times!

This is an awesome solution because for the most part the purchased box can be used again and again and the person you give it to will remember your kindness year after year. Even if you didn’t buy the beer but they did it themselves because they remember how much fun the first time around was.

I’ve rounded up several ideas for advent beer boxes to get you going if you should choose the partially DIY craft beer advent calendar option.

I actually like the design of this one:) Gender neutral and cheery. Not too colorful (I frown upon gaudily decorated anything). It is made of sturdy cardboard and can serve its purpose for several seasons. The numbers cutouts can easily be closed back down. No work required other than inserting the beer bottles. Find it here.

Option 3: Vintage Wooden Soda Crate I just love old fashioned soda crates, but they often have Pepsi or Coca-Cola written on them. So you’d need to spray paint over that. Instead, with this 12 slot option you’d put together two soda crates side by side. Maybe a tasteful ribbon. In reality this is a great way to do it, since lifting 24 beers in a heavy container is not an easy feat and who wants to break 24 beer bottles all at once? Full bottles at that. Find it here.

Regardless of what I share in writing, just follow your own imagination and create the DIY craft beer advent calendar that suits you, or the person you want to give it to. You want to use all large beer bottles or cans instead of 12 ouncers – go for it! Maybe you just saw a perfect container at the craft store and envisioned it full of 24 beers. No rules my friends! As long as there is at least one beer dedicated to each day from December 1 to Christmas Eve:)

Comments

Amen to beer!!! I made the hubby J a beer advent calendar for the first time last year and he LOVED it! He was so excited every night to come home and open up a new beer. I need to make one for him this year too but I’m using your post this time as a template because my bottles and box wasn’t wrapped or decorated as pretty as yours 🙂karrie / Tasty Ever After recently posted…Cheesy Meatball Sliders

I do realize that many women enjoy drinking beer, but I do believe more men are fans than us girls. Most of Christmas is geared towards feminine tastes, like glitter, sparkle, pretty plates etc. It is so marvelous to have an advent calendar of beer. Love this idea.

Love this! Every year I intend to get or make a beer advent calendar for my husband, but I always forget or run out of time. The last few years, I’ve put together a 12 days of Christmas beer box for him. He seems to enjoy having a little treat to open for the 12 days after Christmas Day! But your DIY tutorial is definite motivation for me to get my act together for December 1st this year 😉 !

This is a great reminder that Christmas is on its way! I’m not much of an alcohol person, so this isn’t for me, but I love the idea. The Body Shop has an Advent Calendar that they sell. I might get that this year.Schilly Construction Inc recently posted…Exterior Home Paint Colors for 2017

I love this idea so much and know plenty of other people who would get super excited for this! I actually didn’t know beer calendars were a thing and that you could order them. But like anything, doing it yourself gives you more control and is cheaper too. So cool!Meg | Meg is Well recently posted…Mac and Cheese with Vegan Pumpkin Cheese Sauce

I’ve never seen or heard of one so I am loving the idea (for the first time)! So much fun! And like Kelsie said, my family’s all about the wine, too…we could get creative with that as well!annie@ciaochowbambina recently posted…Soul Snacks

OMG, yes, Annie! Wouldn’t it be so cool to make an advent calendar where every day you unwrap a bottle of wine with a piece of cheese that pairs well with it? Or a small package of nuts or dried fruit agreeable with the wine? You’d need a larger family perhaps, but maybe not, if well versed in consuming two glasses of wine each this could be a perfect idea for a shared advent calendar!

Such a fun idea! Hubby and I used to buy beer advent calendars and they definitely are pricey. Around here I think it was something like $180/calendar. Yikes! I remember one year we bought them and it was such a disappointment….there was, like, 3 or 4 beers that were horrible and I remember even pouring some down the drain. Shame. I would much rather make my own and fill it with beers I actually like. This would be a lovely surprise for hubby! P.S. I can’t believe Christmas is just around the corner!!Dawn – Girl Heart Food recently posted…Monthly Round up and Favourites October 2017

Oh gosh, I hear you Dawn, sometimes it is disappointing to trust matters of personal taste to others, especially when the expectations are that you’ll love the results of what they did. We always tell each other about what gifts we want so choosing beers for each other is a no brainer:) Have a great week ahead!

I absolutely loooove this idea! And I would never tell you it’s in poor taste to make a beer advent calendar. Even without beer’s historical relevance, plenty of people couldn’t survive the holidays without a little alcohol :). You should see the amount of red wine my family goes through on Christmas! Hope you had a great weekend, Milena!Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen recently posted…Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies

I knew I could count on your support Kelsie! Alcohol does help one survive the stress of the holidays. I wish they were not stressful actually. But we shall do what needs to be done:) We love making red wine sangria around Christmas…Cheers!